The Los Angeles Dodgers survived a less-than-stellar regular season and the first two rounds of the National League playoffs. As they prepare to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series, manager Dave Roberts' team appears to be rounding into its best and healthiest forms.
The Dodgers swept the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card Series and defeated a very strong Philadelphia Phillies team in the NL Division Series in 4 games. They are fairly well rested as they go to Milwaukee to face the Brewers in the first two games of the NLCS.
Star pitcher Blake Snell will get the start for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the series in Milwaukee. He has full respect for the team that had the best record in Major League Baseball at 97-65. That record was 4 games better than the Dodgers' 93-69 mark.
The Brewers had a bye in the Wild Card round before defeating the Chicago Cubs 3-2 in the division series. After winning the first two games of the series in Milwaukee, the Brewers lost back to back games at Wrigley Field. The Brewers returned to American Family Field for the series finale and emerged with a 3-1 triumph.
Snell said the defending World Champion Dodgers would not take the Brewers lightly. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy has called his team a bunch of “Average Joes” because the team comes from a small market and does not have superstars, but Snell refuses to go along with that sentiment.
“I’m not falling for the ‘Average Joes.’ They’re a very good team,” Snell said.
Dodgers have a powerful lineup
The Dodgers have a superstar-laden lineup that includes Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez. Ohtani, widely recognized as the best player in baseball, has struggled during the current postseason. He is slashing .148/.233/.370, but he does have 2 home runs and 5 RBI.
Betts struggled during the regular season but he is slashing .385/.429/.577. He has not hit a home run but he has 10 hits in the Dodgers 6 postseason games.
Hernandez has bashed 3 home runs and driven in 9 runs, while Freeman is slashing .217/.333/.304.
